Carriage-top.



No. 764,394. PATENTED JULY 5, 1904. J. F. SWARENS.

CARRIAGE TOP.

APPLICATION FILED JAN 18. 1904.

NO MODEL.

UNITED Patented July 5, 1904.

JOHN F. SWARENS, OF OSKALOOSA, IOWA.

CARRIAGE-TOP.

. SPECIFICATION forniing part of Letters Patent No. 764,394, dated July1904.

Application filed January 18, 190a. strains. 129,553. (No model.)

To all w/wm it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN F. SwARENs, a citizen of the UnitedSt'ates,residing at Oska- 2 and the rear arm or bow 2". The upper horiloosa, inthe county of Mahaska and State of Iowa, have invented -certain newanduseful This invention relates to.a novel construction of carriage-topand aims to provide an auxiliary supporting means for the top whenthrown back and incidentally to preserve the shape of the same toprevent wrinkling and cracking.

The invention further aims to reinforce the likelihood of breaking ofthis part in the operation of throwing the top rearwardly.

A special advantage of the invention lies in the fact that the inventionis adapted for application as an attachment to carriage-tops at presentmuse, this being very important in the practical exploitation of animprovemen of this character.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and alsoto acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means foreffecting the result reference is to be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings.

While the essential and characteristic featu res of the invention aresusceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of theinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1is a perspective view showing the embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 isaside elevation showing the top thrown rearwardly. Fig. 3 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 2, showing the top in another of its rearward positions.Fig. i is a detail perspective view, parts broken away, of theattaching-collar secured.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

The general configuration or shape of the top is substantially the sameas those now commonly in use, consisting especially of the flexiblecanopy 1 and the supporting-bows therefor. Said top comprises the frontarm or bow =rear bow-arm of the top, so as to obviate all forms inconnection with the brace 5.

zontal hinge-brace 3 and the rear diagonallydisposed hinge-brace 4 areemployed in connection with the top, as usual, and so far as as abovedescribed the top is of a construc tion similar to the ordinary formused.

My invention resides inthe provision of a support or brace 5, whichextends from the upper end of the front arm 2 to a point intermediatethe ends of the rear bow 2", where it is'attached. The brace 5 consistsof a brace bar provided with an opening atthe upper end thereof whichreceives the pivotpin 6, connecting the upper brace 3 and the arm 2. Thelower or rear end of the brace 5' is also prov-idedwith an opening whichreceives a projection or pivot 7 extended from a collar 8, which issecured to the rear arm 2" about intermediate the ends of the said farm.The collar 8 is disposed so as to rest upon the rest 9, which isprojected from the carriage when the top is thrown back. The rest 9 inthe ordinary type of top receives the entire weight of the top, which isdirectly sustained by the rear arm 2. In the rearward movement of thetop to throw the same back the rear arm 2 in striking the rest 9 isfrequently broken, and the disadvantages arising from the above areobvious. In the provision of the attaching-collar 8 the rear arm 2" isreinforced and strengthened without reference to the cooperativefunction which the said collar pcir- T 1e brace 5 relieves the arm 2" ofthe weight of the top when the latter is thrown back, since the saidbrace 5 occupies virtually a vertical position on rearward disposal ofthe top 1 and directly sustains the weight which is received upon therests 9.

Though it is desirable that the top when thrown back be unwrinkled, yetit is preferred that all the variations of the provision of the top asconstructed in present use be permitted when my invention is appliedthereto. To accomplish the above, the brace 5 is made jointedintermediate its ends. so that the top 1 may be wrinkled by breaking thejoint in the usual manner. WVhen wrinkling the top 1, as above setforth, the lower joint-arm of the brace 5 moves in an are about the rest9 as a proximate center, the rests serving as the pivot means for thelower ends of the diagonally -disposed jointbrace 4. When the joint ofthe brace 5 is broken to permit wrinkling of the top or canopy 1, thecapacity of this member as a brace still exists, since same to a certainextent supports the canopy 1 when wrinkled in a manner similar to itssupporting function relative to the same when thrown back, as shown inFig. 2.

The brace 5 does not detract from the appearance of the top whatever andserves as a hand-restfor the occupant-0r occupants of the Vehicle, andall variations in the positions of the top are permitted, as beforeindicated.

The invention as an attachment is very inexpensive and is susceptible ofa very broad application both to carriage-tops now in use and to thosesent forth from the manufactory.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is' 1. Incombination with a support, apivoted carriage-top, a rest to receive theweight of the top when thrown back, said top comprising front and reararms, the rear arm being adapted to engage the rest, and brace meansbetween the front arm and that part of the rear arm adjacent the pointengaging the rest. 2. In combination witha support, a pivotedcarriage-top, a rest to receive the weight of the top when thrown back,said top comprising front and rear arms, the rear arm being adapted toengage the rest, and a jointed brace between the front arm and that partof the rear arm adjacent the point engaging the rest.

3. In combination with a support, a pivoted that part of the rear armadjacent the point of engagement of the latter with the rest.

4. In combination with a support, a pivoted collapsible carriage-top, arest projected from the support to receive the weight of the top whenthrown back, said top comprising front and rear arms, the rear arm beingadapted to engage the rest, brace means for holding the carriage-top inan upright position, and an auxiliary jointed brace pivotally secured tothe upper end portion of the front arm and that portion of, the rear armengaging the rest.

. 5. In a carriage-top, the combination withbows,horizontalanddiagonallydisposed hingebraces cooperating with thebows, and a brace connecting the upper end of the front bow and the rearbow at a point between its ends.

6. In a carriage-top, the combination with bows, a reinforcing-collarsecured to the rear bow, and a brace connecting the collar and the frontbow.

7 In a carriage-top, the combination with bows, a reinforcing-collarsecured to the rear bow, and a jointed brace connecting the collar andthe front bow.

8. In a carriage-top, the combination with bows, horizontally anddiagonally disposed joint-braces cooperating with the bows, a detachablecollar secured to the rear bow about intermediate its ends, a projectionextended from said collar, and a joint-brace connecting the upper end ofthe front bow and the collar, the lower end of said brace beingpivotally connected with the projection of the collar.

1 In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN F. SWARENS. [L. s.l

WVitnesses:

MINNIE M. LACEY, FLORENCE CoFFIN.

